A friend and I are building a staion, with two platforms, on a single line. By pure coincidence the track plan is very similar to Grassington (See here http://signalbox.org/diagrams.php?id=133 ) but, as a through station instead of a terminus. In fact, it is assumed that the planned northern extension, from Grassington to Aysgarth, was built. Ours would be the next station to the north.On it, what was Delaney's sidings, is a bay platform and it is all done with points, no single or double slips. Also, the crossover at the left hand end is formed by with a catch point. Rather than two points.

My question is, assuming a rising gradient (of around 1 in 60) from left to right, would points 20 (in John's drawing) normally lie the opposite way, to divert any runaways, wrong line, through the station and off at the catch points?

Railways help me relax after a hard day at work. ERGO:- Railways help pay my bills!!

In my experience, short answer no. 20 would lie normal as per diagram to give a down train a clearing point into the down platform.Like wise an up train would need a clearing point to the up platform, so the nearest point to the ground frame on the extreme left is incorrectly shown. A catch point would be useful where described when shunting from the shunting line to the up platform to prevent runaways onto the single line.

I agree with Marco. Diverting runaways "wrong line" could make the situation worse.

Special arrangements might be found if there had previously been an accident. But this would generally be an arrangement to run into a sand drag or sidings. Most such incidents would have entailed the rear of a departing unfitted freight rolling back.